Photo: James Hardcastle
Species are the building blocks of life. They provide us with essential resources such as food, fuel and medicine; moderate the environment through water and air purification and reducing soil erosion; and have economic value such as through forestry and fisheries. They also have significant cultural, aesthetic and spiritual values.
The ever-increasing human population is contributing to species decline, with extinction occurring at up to 1,000 times the natural rate. The unprecedented loss of species is diminishing the quality of our lives and our basic economic security.
The IUCN Global Species Programme, in conjunction with The IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and partners, are driving the fight to save species for people and nature. The programme follows a three-pronged approach to
- ASSESS the conservation status of species through tools such as The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™;
- PLAN to halt species decline by providing evidence based information to inform national and international policies and decision making;
- ACT to reduce species decline by providing funding for on the ground conservation via Save Our Species (SOS) and the Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP).
